Metallic feed-box.



No. 846,067. PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

' H. M. THAYBR.

METALLIC FEED BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15. 1906.

Svwenfoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

METALLIC FEED-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March. 5, 1907.

Application filed June 15, 1906. $eria1N0. 321,944.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY M. THAYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at oodhull, in the county of Henry and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Feed- Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to feed-boxes for stock-feeding purposes, and has specially in view the construction of a simple and practical all-metal box.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a metallic structure designed for stock-feeding purposes intended to displace the common types of wooden feed boxes or troughs. In this connection the invention has in view a metallic feed-box possessing special advantages in the handling of wet stock-food, and by reason of having a trough with water-tight joints the same may be utilized not only as a feedin -trough, but alsodas a watering-trough should that be desire Another object of the invention is to provide a metallic feed-box having a tilting or turning trough utilized for dumping or draining purposes and which also greatly facilitates the cleansing of the box.

Other objects will readily appear to those familiar with this'class of structures as the nature of the invention is better understood.

The essential features'of the invention involved in the structural formation and assembling of the several parts of metallic feed-boxes are necessarily susceptible to modification without departing from the scope of the invention; but a preferred embodiment of the latter is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stockfeeding box embodying the present inven tion. Fig. 2 is a central vertical cross-sectional View thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view illustrating the corner formation of the tiltable feeding-trough. Fig. 4 is a similar View illustrating the corner forma tion of the open rectangular holding-frame. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the upper end portion of one of the supporting-legs, which operates as the j oint-coupling for the corners of the holding-frame.

Like references designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In constructing a feed-box in accordance with the present invention there is employed a horizontal open rectangular holding-frame designated in its entirety by the reference character F and essentially consisting of a framework of connected side and end bars 1 and 2, respectively. These side and end bars 1 and 2, as well as all of the other parts of the box, are made of sheet metal, preferably galvanized iron or steel. Furthermore, the said side and end bars 1 and 2 are made of metallic angle-strips of suitable weight to provide a thoroughly strong and rigid holding and supporting framework. By reason of being of an angled formation each of the bars 1 and 2 consist of a vertical flange member 3 and an outturned horizontal flange member 4, and at the corners of the frame F the horizontal flanges 4 of the side and end bars 1 and 2 are diagonally cut, as at 5, to form close-fitting or flush miter-joints, while the adjacent enos of the side bars 1 and 2 at the corners of the frame also closely abut, so as to complete a close and tight-fitting joint between the contiguous end of the bars constituting the frame F.

The side and end bars 1 and 2 0f the holding-frame F are rigidly coupled together in the relation described through the medium of the metallic supporting-legs 6. These metallic supporting-legs preferably consist of angle-strips provided at their lower ends with suitable rest-feet 7, and whose upper end portions fit about and embrace the abutting end portions of the vertical flange members 3 at the corners of the box, and said upper end portions of the leg 6 are securely and permanently fastened to said flanged mem bers 3 by means of the securing-rivets 8. For the sake of additional security and strength metallic reinforce brace-bars 9 are riveted to the corner supporting-legs 6, and also, respectively, to the side and end bars 1 and 2, said brace-bars 9 being arranged diagonally, as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

A special feature of the present invention resides in the employment of a tiltable feeding-trough 10, arranged inside of the open triangular holdingframe F. This feedingtrough 10 is preferably constructed from a single seamless blank of sheet metal slit at its four corners, as indicated at 11 in Fig. 3 of the drawings, to produce at one side of the slit of each corner a foldable corner-flap 12. This corner-flap 12 is of a triangular form and is preferably bent from what might be characterized as the upstanding end wall 13 of the trough-body. The opposite upstanding end walls 13 and also the opposite upstanding side walls 14 of the trough-body are bent up from the integral bottom plate of the latter, and by reason of the construction de scribed it will be obvious that each end wall is provided at its opposite ends with inturned corner-flaps arranged in abutting and overlapping relation to the contlguous end portions of the side Walls 14; of the troughed to engage against the upper side of one of the side bars 1 of the holding-frame when the trough-body is locked in its horizontal posi tion through the medium of the locking device or catch 1.7. The trough-body is pivotally hung within the frame F upon the oppositely-loeated pivot-trunnions 18, pivotally connecting the end walls 13 of the troughbody with the end bars 2 of the holdingframe. The locking device or catch 17 preferably consists of a spring catch-plate riveted upon one of the side bars 1 and is provided with a yieldable shouldered engaging-hook 18' at its lower free end. The hook 18 is adapted to snap in engagement with one of the bottom corners of the trough-body 14: when turned to a horizontal position within the en.-

circling holding-frame F. To release the trough 10 for dumping or draining purposes, it is only necessary to withdraw the hook from engagement with the bottom corner of the trough-body 10.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described feed-box will be readily apparent without further description.

I claim In a metallic feed-box, a horizontal holding-frame consisting of angled side and end bars meeting in flush joints at the ends of the frame, angled corner-legs arranged to constitutc a joint-coupling for the meeting ends of said side and end bars, a tiltable metallic trough pivotally hung at its ends within the holding-frame and consisting of a single blank of sheet metal struck up to produce side and end. walls, the latter of which are provided at their extremities with inturned corner-flaps overlapping and secured to the adjacent side walls, one of the side walls of the trough being provided at its upper edge with an outstanding stop-flange, and an automatic catch fitted to one of the side bars of the holding-frame and arranged to engage a bottom corner of the trough.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY M. THAYER.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. Woons, FRED Si-rE'rLEs. 

